WHOOP-Szo – Amaruq (Music Video)
Back in November 2019, Canadian sludge-psych rock group WHOOP-Szo released their latest album Warrior Down, a powerful and protest-filled collection of the hard-hitting truth of Canadian History and the hardships of post-colonialism. Using the heavy elements of sludge rock alongside the ethereal distortion of psych-rock, the new single “Amaruq” is a ’90s-inspired track.
“Amaruq”, which is named after the small fly-in community in Nunavut, and, as songwriter Adam Sturgeon describes, “a visual summation of the themes conveyed on Warrior Down. It presents a vision of an Indigenous Future, one that defies being molded into the usual narrative of Indigenous identity. The ‘Noble Indian’ looks into the mirror of his past and/or present.”
Telling the narrative through miniature figurines, video director, editor, and set builder Ross Millar says the song “has a lot of energy, and it immediately gave us the impression that there was an adventurous story to be told visually. The challenge with miniatures is making small characters, structures and landscapes appear much bigger than they are. A lot of it comes down to tricky camera angles, lighting, and various scales to achieve depth and create an interesting cinematic environment for the viewer”.
Despite the song’s heavy message and grunge-fuelled sound, Millar says, “This video is a product of friends getting together on a small budget and using their combined skills and camaraderie to make something special.”
Check out the video below and catch the band on tour this spring (dates below).
Tour dates:
Mar 5: Toronto, ON – Baby G
Mar 12: Cincinnati, OH – Mockbee
Mar 13: St. Louis, MO – Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center
Mar 15 : Louisville, KY – Wet Basement
Mar 16: Fort Worth, TX – Lola’s
Mar 17: Denton, TX – Fannin
Mar 18-20: Austin, TX – SXSW
Mar 21: Hot Springs National Park, AK – Valley of the Vapors Festival
Mar 25: Seattle, WA – Substation
Mar 26: Portland, OR – No Fun Bar
Mar 27: Boise, ID – Neurolux / Treefort Music Festival
Mar 28: Boise, ID – The Hideout / Treefort Festival
Mar 29: Boise, ID – Tom Grainey’s Basement / Treefort Festival
Apr 1: Abbotsford, BC – Carport Manor
Apr 2: Vancouver, BC – TBD
Apr 3: Victoria, BC – Rubber Boots Club
Apr 4: Seattle, WA – Victory Lounge
Apr 5: Portland, OR – Firkin Pub
Apr 8: Regina, SK – T & A Vinyl
Apr 9: Calgary, AB – Palomino
Apr 10: Edmonton, ON – Aviary / Mad Galaxy Festival
Apr 11: Saskatoon, SK – Amigo’s
Apr 14: Winnipeg, MB – Good WIll Social Club
Apr 15: Thunder Bay, ON – Apollo
Apr 16: Sault Ste Marie, ON – Sault Ste Marie Museum
Apr 17: Port Huron, ON – Schwonk Homestead
Apr 18: Toronto, ON – Tiny Record Store (Record Store Day)
Apr 18: London, ON – Grooves Records (Record Store Day)
Apr 21: Quebec City, QC – La Source De La Martiniere %
Apr 22: Montreal, QC – Bar Le Ritz %
Apr 23: Peterborough, ON – TBD
Apr 24: Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern %
Apr 25: Ottawa, ON – 27 Club %
% with Trail Of Dead
